Nightmare Beyond the Barricade
by theawesomealto
Summary: Inspector Javert has risen to power and as a way to punish those of us involved at the barricade, he is putting us in an arena to play to fight to the death. 12 of us go in, only one comes out. My name is Eponine Thenardier and this is my nightmare beyond the barricade.
1. Before the Games

My name is Eponine Thenardier. I was at the barricade that started all this madness. On the eve of General Lamarque's death, barricades all over Paris rouse and fell. All expect ours. After spending nights wounded, in the rain, the armies fell back. We thought we had won. We were wrong. During the fight at the barricade, Inspector Javert rose to power and now all of at who survived the barricade are being use as an example. "You say you fight for freedom. Now, fight each other for it." That's what the inspector told me when I was brought into custody. Because of our crimes against France, 12 of us (6 males, 6 females) would be put into an arena and fight each other to the death. 12 go in, one comes out. All as for protesting, stealing, or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

All this would've been over in two days if Javert just put us in the ring and let us go. But he is making an example of us. Before the fight (being referred to as "the games" by the fat cats who support Javert) we will be cleaned, interviewed, and pampered. I think after years of chasing Valjean, Javert has lost it a bit so instead of killing us all, he will have us destroy ourselves for his and the rest of Paris' entertainment. So here I am. Waiting to be interviewed about how I ended up here.

A maid came to my room and, along with three armed soldiers, led me to the front steps of the Justice Building where I was staying. For the two days since my arrest, I have stayed in a lavish bedroom, had meals brought to me, and learned very little about what will happen while I am here. This was the first time I had been allowed to leave the room. So when I looked out into the crowd in front of me, I wanted to disappear into them. I missed my Paris streets.

"Mademoiselle Thenardier, please come and address the people of Paris." Javert ordered. "Now, Mademoiselle," he smiled at his audience, "please, enlighten us. What was your involvement at the barricade?" Whatever kindness Javert was showing to the crowd vanished as he mentioned the barricade. I stayed silent. If my mother taught me anything, it was when to keep your mouth shut. I know this was not that time. Now is when mother would've told me to butter up the inspector, give him what he wants. Staying silent would only upset him further. So I stayed silent. I planned on staying like this, until heard someone whisper in my ear.

"Paris is looking for a show, Mademoiselle, so give them one. Tell them the truth about that night." I recognized that voice; it was on of Marius' classmates but I don't remember his name. He was their leader and he was standing next to me, waiting to be interviewed. Honestly, I didn't care about the revolution or the students. I was only there for Marius. I searched the crowd for his face but did not find it. I did however find eager faces in the crowd. Whatever I told these people they would not be pleased unless it was "show" worthy. I hoped my tragic tale was flashy enough to please them. With a sideways glance at the students' leader, I began my story of those nights; helping Marius find Cosette even though it hurt me, stopping my father and his band from harming Cosette and her father, wandering in the rain, going to the barricade, getting wounded on the way, confessing my love for Marius as he held me, having him tell me he loves me in return, passing out for days, waking up to find out he still loves Cosette, then being taken into custody, and thrown into the games. All because I was trying to make the boy I loved…love happy. Now I don't know if he is even alive.


	2. Reunited

The crowd ate up my story of the barricade. And why wouldn't they? I have had more than my fair share of heartache so I think after being shot for the man I love I am entitled to a little sympathy. And the people of Paris, much to Javert's horror, were more than willing to provide it. If the inspector wanted to keep Paris on his side, he'll have to keep me alive longer then most of the other tributes. He can't get rid of the girl who is tragically in love right off the bat and while I hate to think Javert has this much control over when and how I die, it is oddly satisfying knowing he will have to keep me around longer than he had originally intended.

Physically speaking, I'm not going to have the upper hand in any fight. I can run. That's it. But when it comes to strength and survival, I will be the first to die. But when it come to conning the crowd to get sympathy, supplies, or even popularity points, I have the upper hand; my parent taught me along with all my siblings how to best play and use people to get what we needed from them. It wasn't the most honest way to live but we had to find some way to survive. I think the only person who could out con these people would be my little brother Gavroche.

After I was done telling the people my story, the student leader of our barricade who had been standing behind me the whole time waiting to give his "interview" (apparently, we were being interviewed in pairs: one boy, one girl), stepped forward and began his version of the days leading up to the barricade before Javert asked him to. I didn't know much about this revolutionary, but if he was bold enough to challenge the inspector this way he has my respect. But respect can't hold my attention. I couldn't listen to the interview for very long. Speaking of Marius made my never ending longing for him much stronger. I looked the crowd over again and again but he was not there. I was beginning to think the worst. I hadn't seen him since I was wounded. What if he had been killed at the barricade? Or worse, what if he still picks Cosette over me even after all I did? If that where true my world would come crashing down. Before I knew it, I was being led back into the Justice Building. I was being led (along with the revolutionary who spoke after me) into a different room deep in the building. Our escorts opened the door to a lavish sitting room furnished with fashionable couches, rich curtains, plush rugs, and other luxuries that only a very few people in France are able to enjoy. Aside from the furnishings and a table full of food set in the middle of the sitting area, the room was empty.

I walked into the room and took a seat on one of the less fashionable couches and waited. For what, I don't know. A message from God, a sign that Marius is doing well, Javert to kill over; take your pick. I was lost in my mind yet again. There, things make sense and everything is okay. But my time in my head was cut shot; my interview partner (after investigating the room) had wander over to where I was sitting.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing to the seat across from me. I nodded and he gracefully sat down. He was clearly raised by money. The perfect Paris gentleman. We sat facing each other in awkward silence for a few moments. Turns out the leader of the revolution is just as clueless as I am.

Before the barricade (from what I saw of him while I was with Marius) this student seemed to be a wealth of knowledge and power. He could cause the entire wine shop to hang on his every word. He always seemed to be worlds away but now we are in exactly the same position; clueless, confused, and under the inspector's control. From what I gathered from hearing his speeches for ABC, he hates Javert just as much as I do. Maybe he could help me find out any information about what is about to become of us. Or maybe once this things starts, we can help each other. Maybe he could even be a friend. But before any of this can happen, I should learn his name.

I have never been one for formalities so I held my head out to the revolutionary and introduced myself. "My name is Eponine." I said, hand still out stretched.

"I know who you are." He said, leaning back into the couch, refusing to take my hand. "I've seen you around at our _Les Amis de l'ABC._"

"I didn't realize anyone there except my brother noticed me there." I tried to joke. I was there for Marius, not my brother yet he was the one who noticed me around and not Marius.

"Who's your brother?" (Apparently he's just as blunt as I am). As if on cue, the sitting room doors open and two more tributes walk in; one is a girl I have never seen before and the other is Gavroche, my little brother.

"Enjolras! Eponine!" He ran over to us and wrapped me in a quick hug before going to shake the hand of his leader, Enjolras.

"What are you doing here Gavroche?" Normally, I would've scolded my little brother (or try to) for putting himself in this kind of situation but because I was in no place to lecture him and I was thrilled to see him alive, I decided to safe the nagging-older-sister bit for a later time. Enjolras, on the other hand, started to lecture my brother for me about how dangerous and foolish it was for him to go and fight at the barricades.

I was content knowing that I wouldn't have to say harsh things to Gavoche. Ever since our parents kicked him out, I rarely got to see him so when we would meet during ABC meeting or on the streets neither of us wanted to lecture the other about how our lifestyles were dangerous for a child/ young woman. But we were siblings so we were obligated to bring it up. The thought of have Gavoche looking out for me as I looked out for him made me feel less alone and I actually smiled for the first time since being shot. That smile was a mistake.

"And you, mademoiselle, you are worse than your brother." Enjolras had switched targets.

"I beg your pardon?" I said trying to hold on to the small shred of happiness I had moments before.

"At least your brother joined us for the cause. You only joined because of Marius." He had a point. I didn't give a damn about the revolution. "And now, you sit there smiling like a fool. God only knows why. And now you are both in danger again and if either of you perish it will be on my shoulders."

"That's very noble of you, Monsieur, but we can take care of ourselves."

"Can you?" And with that, Enjolras stormed away to the other side of the sitting room.

"Don't worry 'bout him 'Ponine. He's always like this." Gavoche didn't like being thought of being a burden or being helpless as much as I did. We both took pride in how we can thrive in our independence.

"Well if that's the case," I joked, "I don't like him."

"Aww, come on. He just feels like its his fault, us being here."

"Well it's not. our parent's reputation alone could've gotten us here." Gavoche laughed.

"I'll go talk to him. Maybe we can use him to find a way outta here." I watch my brother walk over to Enjolras. He made it half way across the room before the doors opened revealing the next two tributes. The first was a tall young man with dark hair and darker eyes. Behind him, in the shadows, I saw the outline of a scared girl around my age. She stepped into the room and heart stopped. It was the bane of my existence. It was Cosette.


	3. Torment

Of all the girls of Paris, why in God's name did Javert pick Cosette as a tribute? She is not a threat to the crown and the only "crime" she has ever committed is stealing Marius from me…but he was never mine to begin with and what does Javert care about young love? Then why is she here?

With my mind reeling, I tried to focus on any thing but Cosette but I just couldn't figure out why she was here. As if sensing my distress, Enjolras came over not to comfort and distract me but to talk about Cosette.

"What is she doing here?" Enjolras asked bluntly as he took his seat across from me. Not wanting to talk about it, I shrugged but that wasn't good enough for Enjolras. "Do you know what her being here means?"

"She'll be the first to die?" I said dryly. From Enjolras' reaction, my joke was wildly inappropriate. "Oh, come on. Wearing that many petticoats won't make fighting to the death any easier for her."

"Exactly."

"You're agreeing with me?" In the twenty minutes I've known him, I never thought we'd agree on something. It was a pleasant surprise.

"Not exactly." Guess my first instinct was right. "Why would such as high class woman be here? I understand why I am here. But for a woman to be here…what is Javert trying to do?"

_He's trying to punish me,_ I thought. Javert has never like my parents but they were always able to wriggle out of jail time. He seems to have a personal vendetta against the Thenardiers so why not send their two oldest offspring to their deaths and why not make those deaths as awful as possible for them. I am already tormented by the idea of Marius and Cosette so by adding her to the games, my punishment become more consuming. To confirm my thoughts, I waited for the next set of tributes to arrive in the room. After a few moments, the doors opened and in walked Marius followed by my little sister Almeza.

Marius only saw Cosette and in a blink of an eye he was at her side. Not giving Javert the satisfaction, I walked over to Almeza. I know Javert is out to get me and my siblings; he has Cosette and Marius in the games to continue the torment they caused me before the barricade. I have no idea what he could possibly have in store for Gavroche or Almeza. All I know is that whatever it is, it will nearly break them. As the eldest, no matter how distant my relationships with my siblings may be it is my job to protect them. So instead of letting Javert's tactics of using Marius and Cosette's relationship to break me, I will set an example for Almeza ad Gavroche and not let my feelings show. I've done this in the past but even then I was only able to hide my feelings from Marius. Everyone else knew how I felt about him even though I tried to hide it. But this time will be different. This time I have my siblings to look out for. My goal for the games isn't to win. It is to protect my family for as long as I can. That way I can get over Marius and Javert's plans concerning my family will fail. In the little time I have left alive, I will make Javert's life a living hell for putting us through all of this.


	4. The Library

If I was going to get anywhere in these games I would have to leave Marius behind. As happy as he made me and as wonderfully as he treated me, for my siblings' sakes I had to give up any idea of him. I had made my choice.

After a while, all the tributes were in the sitting room. The tributes were me, Gavroche, Almeza, a con-man named Facilier who I had heard of but never met, Enjolras, Marius, one of their fellow students named Maurice, Cosette, a girl who Almeza run cons with named Caroline, the daughter of the owner of the wine shop where ABC meet (her name is Alice and we kind of become friends before the barricade) an ex-soldier turned revolutionary named Gaston, and finally a girl around my age who hasn't said anything to anyone and who I have never seen before. Javert then entered to room to give us instructions and the rules of the games.

We wouldn't enter the arena for another week. During that time we were given access to weapons for training and a library for research. Why, I don't know. We were just allowed to use them. This was also the time when tributes were forming alliances.

My "training" consisted of me researching survival topics. I already knew how to fire a gun and use a sword and I have spent my whole life running. Physically I was ready to fight (well as ready as I'd ever be). But fighting is only part of what I will deal with in the arena. Finding food, a way to stay warm, and finding people to trust and work with…well that was another story.

I already knew that Gavroche and I were going to be in alliance. He's job was to convince Almeza to join as and try and get one of the older boys to join us as well. Like me, Almeza has an extremely independent spirit so she will require a lot of convincing to join any alliance, even one with her own family.

I spent the first day in the library, finding as much information as I could on any number of places Javert could be sending us. I tore through book after book, hoping to remember as much as I could on possible plants that I could eat. I wasn't too worried for myself; I was very used to skipping meals, as was Gavroche, but Almeza wasn't. Despite their lack of loving parenting towards me, my parents (mainly my mother) always tried to make sure Almeza always had food, as always warm. Now those duties fall to me. I sighed as I returned back to my books. For that first day, I didn't see any of the other tributes, which I was grateful for.

The next day I wasn't so lucky. When I got to the library, I saw Enjolras sitting at a long table and bent over a book I had read the day before. I walked over to the table and took the seat farthest away from him. I settled into my seat and opened my book. I thought if I left him alone he'd do the same to me. No such luck. I was able to read a few pages before I felt like I was being watch. I tried to ignore it. I glanced over to Enjolras and, as I had suspected, he was watching me out of the corner of his eye. Why, I don't know. But I shrugged it off and returned to my book. After a few more pages Enjolras' glances my way had turned into full on staring.

"May I help you?" I asked bluntly. I expected him to call me out on my horrible manners, but he didn't. Instead he spoke just as frankly as I had.

"You can read?" he asked, guesting to my book.

"Why do you sound so surprised?" not going to lie, I was a bit offended.

"Forgive me for saying this," he said as he moved into the chair across from me, "but for someone of your background…well it's rare for, um-" I must admit, watching the charismatic revolutionary struggle to find the words to say something was amusing.

"I know. That's why I only read when I'm on my own."

"If you don't mind me asking, but how long have you been able to read?"

"Since I was about 13…Why?"

"I remember seeing Pontmercy trying to teach you one night in the wine shop." It's true. When I was with Marius I would pretend like I didn't know how to read or write. I know it was a bad thing to do, but those nights we spend sitting close together huddled over a book, his full attention on me…those nights were some of the happiest of my life. I'm sure Enjolras knows about my feelings for Marius but we are in a game, so I have to cover up my weaknesses, Marius being one of them.

"He was easy to pick pocket when he was sitting that close." The idea of stealing from Marius hurt me…but then I remembered I might have to kill him to save my siblings. I hope it never comes down to that.

"So you were stealing from Pontmercy that whole time?" I nodded. "Ha. And here I was thinking you were in love with him." I can't believe he bought that story. Maybe all men were just as oblivious to my feelings and it wasn't just Marius.

I tried to go back to reading but Enjolras was still sitting across from me and to be honest, I'm not sure I liked him being that close to me. Sure, there was a table separating us but still…something about him made me feel uneasy. Sitting those feelings aside, I returned to my research, as did Enjolras. For the rest of the day, we sat facing each other buried in our own books. After lunch (where I ate with Gavroche and he ate with Marius and Cosette) we returned to our seats across from each other.

"It's getting late." Enjolras said stretching and looking at the mountain of books we had brought to the table. "Why don't we exchange notes and call it a night?" I laughed thinking he was joking but he wasn't. I don't think Enjolras has the ability to joke…

"Sorry, Monsieur, but I haven't taken any notes." It's true. As I was reading, I was committing all the information to memory (one, because my writing isn't was good as my reading, and two, it's a game and if another tribute found my notes any advantage those notes gave me would be gone) but Enjolras wrote pages and pages of notes. "Besides, how so I know you won't give me false information? How can I trust you?" I asked frankly while grabbing a new book from the pile. Enjolras smiled slightly.

"You are smarter than I give you credit for, Mademoiselle. At times I feel like most of us have forgotten that we are in a game." He said, staring into my eyes. I felt like he was sizing me up. Instead of looking away like most women would, I boldly stared right back at him.

"Well I haven't." We sat there staring at each other for a few tense moments when finally Enjolras suggested we went back to work. Gladly. I was about to open my new book when I heard a voice I was oh so familiar with.

"'Ponine! There you are." Marius said making his way to the chair next to me. "I thought I'd never see my dear friend again…what are you doing?" He seemed baffled to see me with an open book. I was busted. Damn.


	5. Training

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took longer than usual. School just got insanely busy so I couldn't work on it for like a two week (sad day) and then there was lots other drama. But hopefully things will get less crazy soon. Word of advice, don't take 18 credit hours. Anyhoo, I promise it was/will be worth the wait now and if it happens again (I hope it doesn't. I don't think I could handle another week like this). Just know that I won't put something just to put something up. I'm kinda rambling at this point aren't I? okay,well enjoy :P **

Chapter 5

Of all the times to find me, why did Marius have to pick now? For the first time since meeting him, I pleased for once that Marius could never pick up on my emotions. My few moments of panic and fear (that Enjolras clearly had noticed) didn't even register with Marius.

"'Ponine?" Marius asked again.

"Oh, Monsieur Enjolras is helping me with my reading." I lied. Marius laughed.

"I'd never thought I'd see the day when Enjolras would do such a thing." He chucked, looking through the book that he had caught me reading. I glanced up at Enjolras and he was…well, less than pleased that I dragged him into this. I expected him to tell Marius I was full of it, and I was lying and I always had been. But he didn't. Instead he gathered his notes and stood up.

"I'll just give you two some time to catch up then." And with that, Enjolras left. I was alone with Marius huddled over a book in candlelight yet again. But this time it was different. I didn't feel as giddy or happy as I normally did when we were like this.

"'Ponine, what's wrong? You don't seem yourself tonight." You could say that again. I looked up from our book and weakly smiled at the man I had been infatuated with for so long. I had always known that we couldn't be together and with the games looming and my siblings to take care of, any hope of Marius ever caring about me had vanished. He had his Cosette and I had my baggage. Yet he is here with me and not with her. I looked back to the book, not seeing a word of it.

I was confused and tired. Throughout all of this, I had held everything in. I didn't want my competitors to see me as weak and I didn't want my siblings to doubt me. I didn't want Marius to think poorly of me and I didn't want Javert to win.

"Eponine, is this about the night at the barricade?" Shocked by his question, I looked back up at Marius. "Because I tried to get Gavroche to go home, given before you got there. And after you were injured…well, I feel responsible for both you and your brother being here mixed up with all of this." And here I thought he would actually acknowledge my feelings for him. Silly Eponine.

"Well don't. With all due respect, Monsieur, both my brother and I knew the risks that going to the barricade involved." I was in no mood to be polite, not even to Marius. "Besides, since when have you been concerned about my well being?" I teased.

"But it's my fault. If I had just stayed out of this revolution than you, Gavroche, Cosette, you'd all be safe." So this wasn't about me at all; it was about Cosette.

"Does she blame you for her being here?" Even if it hurt me, I wasn't going to let my best friend and the love of my life sit here and be upset over something so stupid. "We are all here not because of the barricade, but because of Javert. Every tribute has done something to upset him."

"Everyone except Cosette." Oh, yes. Because she can do no wrong. And he father would never be number one on Javert's hit-list.

"Well then you better return to her." I said coldly. I was stupid to think him finding me had anything to do with me and I was foolish to try and help him. The only words he hears now are Cosette's. "Like you said, she has done nothing to get here, so she has no idea how to handle herself somewhere like this." I was struggling to keep the venom out of my voice. Before he could say anything else, I gathered my books got ready to leave. "Don't worry about me, I know my way around situations like this." And with that I left.

I didn't know where I had escaped to but it didn't matter. I was alone and I finally broke down. All the emotion I had been holding back ever since waking up after the night at the barricade needed to be released. So that's what I did. I sat against the wall, head on my knees, and just cried.

Marius still doesn't care about me. He never will. My siblings are too independent to work with me before we go into the arena. And none of the other tributes take me remotely seriously because I am a Thenardier. I am nothing but a burden to everyone I meet. I wrapped my arms around my knees and cried even harder.

"Mademoiselle?" I heard a man call out. I froze, hoping I was hearing things or that I wasn't who he was looking for. I wasn't hearing things... I felt someone standing over me. His voice was too deep to be Gavroche and I would've known if Marius stood before me. I glanced up to find Enjolras looking down at me. "Are you, um…alright?" I take it comforting crying women wasn't Enjolras' strong suit. I shrugged.

"I guess." I said, trying to regain control of my emotions. Enjolras didn't need to see me like this. He was a tribute after all, but more importantly he didn't rat me out to Marius so the last thing I should be doing is looking to him for comfort. I already owned him and we hadn't even entered the arena yet.

"You don't have to lie to me, Mademoiselle," he said as he sat down beside me.

"Pardon?"

"I know you're upset over Marius. I know how you feel about him. Hell, so does the rest of ABC. He's the only one who doesn't see how you feel."

"Thanks." I said, rolling my eyes.

"I also know that you think you have to take care of your siblings when the games start."

"How did you know that?" It's not like I was extremely close with my other family members. And I wasn't the most material of elder sisters.

"Because I felt that way at the barricade. Everyone there was my responsibility. It's my fault we're here." I smiled in spite of myself.

"You sound like Marius."

"Marius is a fool. He only feels responsible for-"

"Don't. I already know how he feels."

"Then why do you put yourself through it?" Normally I would reply with a snide comment or lie but Enjolras asked me it so genuinely I answered honestly.

"I don't know. It's better than dealing with what's in my real world, I guess. Marius is worlds away from my life so if he chose me…my life would be better. I know it won't happen but that little amount of hope gets me through. Or it did. Now, with the games, I'll end up hurt no matter what happens."

"And why do you say that?" I was still confused by his curiosity and a small part of my brain was telling me not to open up to him anymore. We are in the games. But that small part of my brain lost and I continued opening up to him.

"Twelve of us go in and only one comes out. No matter what goes on in there, I will lose someone I love." Enjolras thought about my words for a few moments. What he was thinking, God only knows. After a few moments, Enjolras moved to his knees and was now kneeling directly in front of me.

"I promise we'll find a way out of this." He sounded like he did at the barricade, full of life, ready to take on the entire French army if it meant a better life for one child living on the streets. But I knew that his energetic words meant an alliance. I knew it meant having one more person I wouldn't be able to kill myself.

"With all due respect, Monsieur, why should I trust you?" After a few tense moments, Enjolras shrugged.

"I don't think I can answer that." At least he was honest. He stood up, taking my books along with his, "You should rest Mademoiselle. I will see you in the morning for our last day of training." And with that I was dismissed and I was more than happy leave and go to bed.

The next morning I woke up still extremely tired. I got up earlier than most the tributes to get a head start on my research but mainly to avoid Marius. In all the time I've known him, I have never seen him before 9 o'clock. To ensure I don't run into him again until the arena, I got up with the sun, got dressed and headed down to breakfast and while Marius wasn't there, Enjolras was. He was sitting at a table, alone, and I felt like he was watching me…This is going to be a long day.

"'Ponnie! Over here!" once I loaded my plate, I saw Alice gesturing for me to come sit with her. Thank God. I quickly sat down next to Alice making sure I had my back to Enjolras.

The second I sat down Alice jumped what happened after the night at the barricade. Javert figured out where ABC was meeting and so to "punish them for their crimes against France" Javert took Alice from her family to fight in the games. Even though I was barely listening to her (Alice has a tendency to be lost in her only little world most of the time. I mean, I know I like to escape to my world from time to time but Alice is there 24/7 while I am only there when I'm on my own) I thought Alice being here was ridiculous. But even in this horrid situation she was able to keep her constantly happy mood.

"So Eponine how's Marius?" She was one of the few people I out right told about my feelings for Marius. She loved the idea of getting us to fall in love (she was the one who came up with Marius "teaching" me how to read idea) and she had a gossipy side to her so it was only natural for her to bring him up.

"I don't know," I lied, "I haven't seen him since the day we were interviewed."

"Is that because you have turned your attention to a different student of the revolution?" She teased, looking around me to stare at Enjolras. Like most girls my age, Alice was constantly swooning over Enjolras. I guess I get it; he is kinda attractive…okay, really attractive. But he never caught my attention in that way. I will always see him as the intense revolutionary, a dreamer, and as someone who (while their intentions are good) will never know how the world works for the rest of us. I always felt the students of the revolution (aside from Marius) didn't have the slightest idea of how life really was for the people they claimed to be fighting for and for that I don't think I will ever see Enjolras as anything more than a crazy student with a dream that might always be out of reach. Alice on the other hand saw him differently.

"He's gorgeous." She swooned. "What do you think he'll do once we get into the arena? Do you think he'll just kill everyone? Or will he wait for everyone else to finish each other off? Or do you think he'll join an alliance? I would give anything to have him protecting me." She stopped to stare at him again. "So, what do you think he'll do?"

"How should I know?"

"He hasn't left your side since training started. Everyone's talking about it." Great… "So are you two going to fight together? Can I -"

"No." I cut off her rambling, guess what she was going to ask. "I'm not working with him so he is all yours." Alice hugged me after my response.

"First I helped you with Marius and now you're helping me with Enjolras. Oh, Eponine, you're the best." She hugged me again. "I'm going to go talk to him. Wish me luck." I wasn't going to stay around to watch Enjolras reject Alice. I'm not an expert on this man but he doesn't strike me as the alliance type. I quickly finished eating and went to go find Gavroche.

I found him outside at the firing range. Together we did some target practice with pistols and rifles and once we were sure no one could be listening to us, Gavroche told me his plan for the arena. He had already talked to Almeza and both had agreed (as do I) that everyone would underestimate her because of her age and size. Almeza thought that because of this she could join any alliance no problem (because she wouldn't need much to be taken care of and it assures that group that they won't be attacked by Gavroche or me) and she was going to try and get in with Gaston. Gavroche felt that given Gaston's past as a solider he would be able to get the best supplies. After three tributes were dead, Almeza would rob him and come join Gavroche and I.

I didn't like the plan as much as my siblings but it did make more sense then the three of us being together the whole time. We already had targets on ours backs just because of our family. Gavroche filled me in on some other details that he and my sister had worked out but I wasn't fully listening. I figured I knew the important parts and I was fine with that.

Before I knew it, it was time for lunch. I ate by myself but I couldn't stop thinking about Alice's comment from this morning. The last thing I needed as all the other tributes talking about Enjolras and me. As I ate I felt the stares and whispers of nearly every other tribute. I guess there was some truth to Alice's gossip today…everyone does seem to be talking about me. But they didn't need to. Clearly I was alone now and Enjolras was nowhere in sight. But that didn't stop the whispering and staring. I finished eating and decided to go to my room. If I went to do more studying, I doubt I'd retain any of it. Also I didn't want to run the risk of seeing Enjolras, giving the tributes even more to talk about. I decided the best course of action would be for me to go and sleep. I was exhausted and the second my head hit the pillow I was out. I didn't wake up until the next morning when Javert's men we gathering the tributes and putting us into carriages. Still rubbing the sleep from my eyes I was being whisked away to the arena. The games were only an hour away.


End file.
